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Byron York

Dems in all-out fight for union power in Michigan

Michigan Democrats are alternately threatening and begging Snyder to give up. Democratic Rep. Sander Levin not-very-subtly promised “endless controversy and strife,” and protesters have been gearing up around the state since the GOP first took action last week.

Other Democrats are asking Snyder to veto the bill and set up a referendum on the issue in 2014. But Democrats will probably force some sort of referendum on the new law in 2014 anyway even if Snyder signs it, as expected. Why not put the new measure in place and see how it works for a couple of years?

Democrats are complaining about the speed with which Republicans are acting, but the truth is, organized labor has seen this coming for a while. Stung by the success of Gov. Scott Walker’s efforts to limit collective bargaining in Wisconsin — Walker’s actions have resulted in more money, more teachers and better conditions in schools around the state — they tried to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. In Michigan, they pushed what was known as Proposal 2, which would have enshrined union collective bargaining powers in the state constitution. If Proposal 2 had passed, what state GOP lawmakers are doing now would have been literally unconstitutional.

Blowback

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But Democrats will probably force some sort of referendum on the new law in 2014 anyway even if Snyder signs it, as expected.

In Michigan we don’t say, “We got an app for that”. We say, “We got a constitutional amendment for that”. We have added 31 amendments to our constitution since 1963 (when our current constitution became the law of Michigan land), more than doubling the size of our constitution. I can’t tell you how many failed amendments have been voted on, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it is over 100. Just this last election we had 6 on the ballot (including Prop. 2) that all failed. York is right; there will be another referendum on our ballot on this issue in the next 4 years.

Dems own this! They are about the only ones who gets funds and votes from these union thugs! If these thugs kill someone with their krap, the d’s who support them, and that means bho also, needs to be held accountable? But I doubt they will be.
L

I read that Republicans attached a million dollars in funding to the bill so that it cannot be repealed by a referendum. I hope this is true, it will be the best million dollars ever spent in Michigan.

I read that Republicans attached a million dollars in funding to the bill so that it cannot be repealed by a referendum. I hope this is true, it will be the best million dollars ever spent in Michigan.

rockmom on December 11, 2012 at 3:04 PM

This doesn’t apply to constitutional referendums, but veto referendums. In Michigan we can veto legislation through referendum.

ALINSKY RULE 10: “If you push a negative hard enough, it will push through and become a positive.” Violence from the other side can win the public to your side because the public sympathizes with the underdog. (Unions used this tactic. Peaceful [albeit loud] demonstrations during the heyday of unions in the early to mid-20th Century incurred management’s wrath, often in the form of violence that eventually brought public sympathy to their side.)